Gwyneth Paltrow shined when she and Robert Downey Jr. shared the screen together in the 2008 film Iron Man. Although there was no MCU at that time, the film was the backstory of Iron Man and essentially kickstarted the superhero franchise.

Joining Tony Stark for the ride was his loyal assistant and romantic partner Ms. Pepper Potts. Director Jon Favreau revealed that although Gwyneth Paltrow is a remarkable actress who portrayed the role beautifully, she wasn’t the first choice for Ms. Pepper Potts!

Gwyneth Paltrow Wasn’t The Original Choice For The MCU!

The on-screen chemistry between Robert Downey Jr.’s Iron Man and Gwyneth Paltrow’s Pepper Potts was highly appreciated by the world. Seemingly fit for the role, director Jon Favreau stated that Paltrow wasn’t the first choice for Ms. Pepper Potts.
Gwyneth Paltrow as Pepper Potts
Also read: “They can always ask me”: Will Gwyneth Paltrow Rejoin MCU? Actress Feels There is Nothing Left After Robert Downey Jr.’s Iron Man Died

Finding fame through the 2004 movies, Mean Girls and The Notebook, Rachel McAdams was the director’s first choice for the role of Pepper. As reported by ScreenCrush, director Jon Favreau did approach Rachel McAdams with the role of Potts at hand.

At that time, Rachel McAdams turned down the offer without giving proper reasons, and Gwyneth Paltrow was cast instead. In a recent interview, the Sherlock Holmes actress gave her reasons for turning down the MCU project.

Suggested: “I felt guilty”: Marvel Star Rachel McAdams’ N*de Photoshoot With Scarlett Johansson Led Her To Career-Changing Epiphany

Why Rachel McAdams Turned Down Iron Man

Rachel McAdams in Doctor Strange (2016)
Related: “It was incredibly isolating”: While Brendan Fraser Won An Oscar For ‘The Whale’, Gwyneth Paltrow Called A Similar Role Her Worst Regret

In a recent interview with Bustle, the actress revealed that she was on a break. Often suffering from anxiety about these missed roles, McAdams stated that she felt guilty for turning down the wonderful opportunities that came her way.
“There’s certainly things like ‘I wish I’d done that. I step back and go, ‘That was the right person for that. I felt guilty for not capitalizing on the opportunity that I was being given, because I knew I was in such a lucky spot. But I also knew it wasn’t quite jiving with my personality and what I needed to stay sane.”
She further continued,
“There were definitely some anxious moments of wondering if I was just throwing it all away, and why was I doing that? It’s taken years to understand what I intuitively was doing.”
After Paltrow was cast as the female lead, Rachel McAdams was given another try in the MCU, and this time, she took the opportunity. McAdams became Christine Palmer, the love interest of Dr. Stephen Strange in the 2016 film Doctor Strange, and seemed perfect for the role.

Iron Man received a rating of 7.9/10 on IMDB and a whopping 94% on Rotten Tomatoes and is regarded as the birth of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The 2008 film is available to stream on Disney+ in the U.S.

Source: ScreenCrush, Bustle